The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) is currently investigating possible anticompetitive practices within the Spanish pharmaceutical distribution market. These practices are suspected to involve the exchange of sensitive information between various entities in the sector.

From November 27 to 30, 2023, the CNMC conducted inspections at the premises of several pharmaceutical entities as part of this investigation. This step is preliminary and does not imply any presumption of guilt or the outcome of the investigation.

If evidence of prohibited anticompetitive practices is found during these inspections, the CNMC may initiate a formal sanctioning procedure. Such practices could be classified as a serious infringement of competition law, potentially resulting in fines of up to 10% of the total turnover of the infringing companies from the previous financial year.